To link to the entire object, paste this link in email, IM or documentTo embed the entire object, paste this HTML in websiteTo link to this page, paste this link in email, IM or documentTo embed this page, paste this HTML in website

i
MEDIA REINVENTED:
THE TRANSFORMATION OF NEWS IN A NETWORKED SOCIETY
by
Matthew S. Weber
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC GRADUATE SCHOOL
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
(COMMUNICATION)
August 2010
Copyright 2010 Matthew S. Weber

This study presents an examination of the organizational process of transformation, specifically examining how new organizations emerge as the result of new information communication technology, and how existing organizations emerge in response. In aggregate, the process of transformation is examined in three stages. First, this study looks at the nature of organizational forms, and seeks to understand how organizational forms emerge in rapidly changing competitive environments. Second, this study examines the process of legitimation in an attempt to better understand how emerging organizational forms are established as legitimate. Third, this research examines the process of organizational transformation, and seeks to introduce organizational strategy as a critical determinant of transformational success for existing organizations.; In order to answer these theoretical issues, this study specifically looks at the emergence of social media and socially driven news, such as blogs and social networking sites, and examines how these organizational forms developed over time. Simultaneously, the transformation of traditional print-based news organizations in response is studied. As these different organizations have interacted in the online environment, a link economy has emerged in which hyperlinking has emerged as a critical component of online information flow. Thus, in addition to the above, the effect of hyperlinking is considered as a strategic tool that enables organizational success in the long run.; The results of this study introduce the process of speciation as a key mechanism for understanding the rapid emergence of new organizational forms. In addition, this study finds that media coverage and professional organizations are early indicators of developing organizational forms. Finally, with regards to strategy, this research finds that organizations implementing aggressive strategies incur a higher risk of failure, but also a high potential for decreasing the risk of failure.

i
MEDIA REINVENTED:
THE TRANSFORMATION OF NEWS IN A NETWORKED SOCIETY
by
Matthew S. Weber
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC GRADUATE SCHOOL
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
(COMMUNICATION)
August 2010
Copyright 2010 Matthew S. Weber